Jason08 Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Whats with everyone and these dystopian novels, like what is so interesting about them? the only one i read is the Chrysalids in Grade 9, and i hated it so much, like with passion. However i am willing to give Dystopian novels one more shot, i'm thinking of reading 1984 as it sounds great coming from you guys, and so many of guys seem to like it. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caustica Posted June 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Whats with everyone and these dystopian novels, like what is so interesting about them? the only one i read is the Chrysalids in Grade 9, and i hated it so much, like with passion. However i am willing to give Dystopian novels one more shot, i'm thinking of reading 1954 as it sounds great coming from you guys, and so many of guys seem to like it.They're interesting to me because they're about the future, and many themes explored are really exaggerations of things that are happening/have happened in the past - their extreme versions. It's a more realistic type of scifi, I guess.I loved Chrysalids Ending sucked though. 1984 IS a brilliant novel. Very different from Chrysalids, too. Give it a try! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeciliaL Posted August 9, 2010 Report Share Posted August 9, 2010 A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess is quite interesting. Also, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is a good one. Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale is on my want to read list...dying to lay hand on a copy of it! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summer Glau Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 The best dystopian novel I've read is Fahrenheit 451. I'm not a fan of dystopic novels but I liked that book for some weird reason. I read 1984 and it put me to sleep Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
solastalgia Posted October 10, 2010 Report Share Posted October 10, 2010 I'm going to echo the person who suggested The Chrysalids. It's one of my favorite books. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPCS1 Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 Anyone read World War Z, by Max Brooks? It's a serious dystopian novel hiding in the illusion of lower brow mass market blood and gore literature.. Zombies but serious. And its awesome!Film coming out over the next few years (Brad Pitt apparently). Atwood's Handmaids Tale is fantastic too, very powerful book. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnotherAsian Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The giver (Utopian-dystopian) or Fahrenheit 451 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proletariat Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Brave New World by a longshot. Huxley is an absolute genius, and it's astounding how true and accurate his ruminations at the time seem to be, even beating out other greats like Orwell, who even wrote after Huxley did. I will admit though Fahrenheit 451 is in a solid second place for me. Bradbury is one of my favourite writers ever, and this particular piece had such a nebulous, ethereal feel, a style indescribably different from any other I've read (including other Bradbury works, in fact.) Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eydie Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 why not? I thought it was quite an intriguing novel. Maybe the 'feel' of it differs from translation to translation? Which translation did you read, if you remember?Oh it's by Vintage if I remember correctly. I think I'm biased though as I was too absorbed by the story and style of 1984 and We's stream-of-consciousness style just didn't quite click with me : ) A few people in our class actually prefer it though : ) Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronali Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I like a lot of the books that have already been mentioned — Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984. Uglies was okay, but I got tired of it after Pretties. Anthem was also unsatisfactory.I think my favorite dystopian novel is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It's stark, compelling and bone-deep. I loved it.The stories "Harrison Bergeron" and "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Vonnegut are also worth mentioning, even if they're not novels. Edited January 5, 2011 by ronali 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rummandcoke Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Well, it's not a NOVEL, but Harrison Bergeron anyone? It was written by Kurt Vonnegaut, and it is pretty good.That being said, I'm in the Brave New World worship league. Chrysalids was good too, but the ending was kind of unsatisfactory. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprintdominator Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 How about Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury? Its pretty good. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caustica Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 I like a lot of the books that have already been mentioned — Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984. Uglies was okay, but I got tired of it after Pretties. Anthem was also unsatisfactory.I think my favorite dystopian novel is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It's stark, compelling and bone-deep. I loved it.The stories "Harrison Bergeron" and "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Vonnegut are also worth mentioning, even if they're not novels.I agree Pretties was boring, but the third book, Specials, was quite good. They are all teen fiction though and not nearly as good as the classic dystopian novels. The fourth book, Extras, was bad and almost unrelated to the first three - Tally hardly appears at all. I agree about Anthem being unsatisfactory. I haven't read The Road; for some reason its plot doesn't seem so interesting. I've read Harrison Bergeron and it was quite good I agree, quite frightening as well. I love Vonnegut Well, it's not a NOVEL, but Harrison Bergeron anyone? It was written by Kurt Vonnegaut, and it is pretty good.That being said, I'm in the Brave New World worship league. Chrysalids was good too, but the ending was kind of unsatisfactory.Ahh, Brave New World is amazing I agree! Have you read Island? It's also by Huxley, written after BNW, and is more utopian than dystopian. In some ways I found Island to be better at Brave New World!And I agree about the ending of The Chrysalids being unsatisfactory. It seemed like Wyndham had just written himself into a situation he couldn't find a way to resolve, so just invented some magical saviours that easily solved everything with their super technology. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starryz1221c Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I would have to say A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess is the best dystopian novel Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuet Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 1984's definitely my favorite! But I have to say, I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451 as well. It was a short, easy read with a very interesting plot. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rummandcoke Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 I like a lot of the books that have already been mentioned — Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984. Uglies was okay, but I got tired of it after Pretties. Anthem was also unsatisfactory.I think my favorite dystopian novel is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It's stark, compelling and bone-deep. I loved it.The stories "Harrison Bergeron" and "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Vonnegut are also worth mentioning, even if they're not novels.I agree Pretties was boring, but the third book, Specials, was quite good. They are all teen fiction though and not nearly as good as the classic dystopian novels. The fourth book, Extras, was bad and almost unrelated to the first three - Tally hardly appears at all. I agree about Anthem being unsatisfactory. I haven't read The Road; for some reason its plot doesn't seem so interesting. I've read Harrison Bergeron and it was quite good I agree, quite frightening as well. I love Vonnegut Well, it's not a NOVEL, but Harrison Bergeron anyone? It was written by Kurt Vonnegaut, and it is pretty good.That being said, I'm in the Brave New World worship league. Chrysalids was good too, but the ending was kind of unsatisfactory.Ahh, Brave New World is amazing I agree! Have you read Island? It's also by Huxley, written after BNW, and is more utopian than dystopian. In some ways I found Island to be better at Brave New World!And I agree about the ending of The Chrysalids being unsatisfactory. It seemed like Wyndham had just written himself into a situation he couldn't find a way to resolve, so just invented some magical saviours that easily solved everything with their super technology.I'll look into Island. I'd heard Huxley wrote a utopian novel, but I wasn't too sure about the title, but I'll definitely check it out. And agreed about the Chrysalids. I was honestly hoping for a better ending where we'd at least know what happened to the other characters, but it just jumped right to when they arrive at Sealand. I wanted a better explanation, damnit. :K Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chobap Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Handmaid's Tale, although that and 1984 are the only dystopian novels I have read. They match each other :/ Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeninaCrowne Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 I see it's been brought up a lot, but I have to mention it: Brave New World is a one of the best novels I've ever come across. It's also a perfect example of some of the extremes humanity could potentially reach, which I guess is what dystopian literature is all about. The conditioning of children, the categorizing of people by intelligence, the encourgement of changing partners as often as possible... It's all so well thought out. And the allusion to the Tempest throughout the book is very clever. A Clockwork Orange has been my favorite book for the longest time. I have to admit, however, that I like the actual usage of language more than the conent intself. It's interesting to read a book that only people who speak a Slavic language can fully understand. Has anyone read A Wanting Seed? Also by Burgess. It's a cool idea, but the story never really picks up. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caustica Posted February 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I see it's been brought up a lot, but I have to mention it: Brave New World is a one of the best novels I've ever come across. It's also a perfect example of some of the extremes humanity could potentially reach, which I guess is what dystopian literature is all about. The conditioning of children, the categorizing of people by intelligence, the encourgement of changing partners as often as possible... It's all so well thought out. And the allusion to the Tempest throughout the book is very clever. A Clockwork Orange has been my favorite book for the longest time. I have to admit, however, that I like the actual usage of language more than the conent intself. It's interesting to read a book that only people who speak a Slavic language can fully understand. Has anyone read A Wanting Seed? Also by Burgess. It's a cool idea, but the story never really picks up.Aha, I see your BNW-inspired username! I never did quite like that character though. I liked John the Savage more. (Was he called John?)I really want to read A Clockwork Orange since it's been mentioned a few times. Have you watched the movie? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proletariat Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I see it's been brought up a lot, but I have to mention it: Brave New World is a one of the best novels I've ever come across. It's also a perfect example of some of the extremes humanity could potentially reach, which I guess is what dystopian literature is all about. The conditioning of children, the categorizing of people by intelligence, the encourgement of changing partners as often as possible... It's all so well thought out. And the allusion to the Tempest throughout the book is very clever. A Clockwork Orange has been my favorite book for the longest time. I have to admit, however, that I like the actual usage of language more than the conent intself. It's interesting to read a book that only people who speak a Slavic language can fully understand. Has anyone read A Wanting Seed? Also by Burgess. It's a cool idea, but the story never really picks up.Aha, I see your BNW-inspired username! I never did quite like that character though. I liked John the Savage more. (Was he called John?)I really want to read A Clockwork Orange since it's been mentioned a few times. Have you watched the movie?Both the film and the book are masterpieces, for different reasons. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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